Wanderer
by Lyra Soren
Summary: Tezuka and Ryoma Au
1. Chapter 1

Wanderer

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_What is a city?_

_A road network. A name. An empty place to return to. A home for thousand of people. A heart that pumps memories and links buildings. A place you feel you belong to._

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The emperor was waiting patiently, while his counselors were fusing around him as though something unusual has happened in the country. Nevertheless, it was an unique event to receive the visit of a wanderer, much less when any had passed its borders for the last decade.

'Your highness, we are still trying to learn more about this young wanderer so you can decide whether you want to receive him or not.' offered prime minister.

'His name is Tezuka Kunimitsu. He had to write it down, given the fact that he does not speak our language.' muttered his private counselor.

'So he is a foreigner.' emperor Ryoma said.

'Most certainly, your highness, yet we know nothing about where he comes from. Nor with what purpose did he come to this country.' the external affairs minister admitted.

'Then what are you waiting for? Just grant him entrance to the palace. You made me curious already. ' the emperor bellowed.

'But your highness…'

'Dare you disapprove?' said he, the authority lingering in his voice.

'As you wish.'

The foreigner was nothing out of the ordinary, with his long robe and glasses. Though his aura was of one who knew many. He must be a scholar.

Ryoma took a piece of paper after observing Tezuka for several moments. He wrote something and handed it to the man.

The traveler pounded his answer and wrote likewise.

-_My name is Tezuka Kunimitsu. I came to this country to become your traveler. I learned that you want to know your country. I can wander through the cities and give you the details of each.-_

The emperor did not give away his picked interest on the request of the foreigner. He was right, he was eager to know every nick and crack of his country, his people, and their customs.

_-From now on you will be my traveler. I will await you to come back every month with a description of the cities you've been through.-_

_-Yes, your highness.-_

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Tezuka was left for a month. And when the time arrived to report to the emperor he came prepared. He brought objects which the help he supported his characterizations. The emperor was amazed. With just a single object he could bring to life an entire world.

A sword could mean either an army, or victory.

An hourglass was the word for time or a god of that city.

A rose could symbolize beauty, wealth, or delicacy and grace.

Once he brought a cross. Its significance was vital for the country, for it was the bloom of Christianity.

He learned to communicate with Tezuka through signs.

They were spending more and more time together, once a month, but their bond became stronger with every encounter.

The emperor soon realized that every fact or news shown by his informer was becoming precious to him, because of the space that was surrounding them, and a wanton needles to fill by words.

One day the traveler uttered his first words.

"Your country is like a maze. Not one city is similar to the other."

"You may be right. Its diversity makes me wonder whether my people are happy or their life is making them sad."

"Your people are travelers through life, sometimes they enjoy their journey, other times they are thrown in front of a crossroad. It depends of the perspective you are viewing things."

"Che, so they are unhappy."

"Not necessarily. I myself am a voyager and I encountered both pleasant and unpleasant situations throughout my wanders."

"Yet you never told me what you want from the future."

"Your highness, I rove not to ask myself futile questions. I do it to answer yours."

"What you recall is always in the past. You wander to live your past again?"

"No. I journey to understand myself and to answer the inquiries the cities make me ask about the road I have taken."

Sometimes in the middle of their conversations they just stared at each other speechless and still as stones. The foreigner learned the language of the emperor, or the emperor learned the language of the foreigner. But through their eyes the words preceded much faster and the unspoken understanding was what made them get more intimate with each other.

" All your stories are just tales, not reality. All these cities lie within your imagination, am I right?"

"No."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I have been there. I thought I have gained your trust by now" Tezuka said calmly.

"You have. But what if our encounters happen just in our dreams? What if we are two men prone to meet just outside reality?"

"We are not. If we were then you most definitely would not have been an emperor, and I could not have been your traveler."

"This garden seems most of the time surreal. As well as our meetings."

"Here. Take my hand. I am real. Standing right in front of you. This is reality."

The emperor took the outlander's hand, squeezing gently. Not wanting to let go.

"Tezuka, you never change!"

Would you want me to?"

"Of course not."

The bound was stronger than ever. They were friends. But they could become more. If the time and place allow them to.

"What is a city?"

The question took Tezuka by surprise. For over a year he was telling stories about the cities of that country. And now the emperor wanted to know what a city was?

"Honestly, Ryoma, are you sure you don't know what a city is?"

"If I knew, wouldn't have asked, would I?"

Sighing Tezuka gave in to his fondness.

"A city is a place you feel you belong to."

"Hmm…Do you have a city you belong to?"

Another question he has not foreseen.

"You may say I have."

"Care to tell me its name?"

"Targos"

"How come you never told me about it?"

"The images tend to erase themselves from the memory after being put into words. I guess I was afraid to lose Targos at once, if I talked about it."

"I see…"

"Or maybe traveling through so many cities I have already lost it little by little."

"I hope someday you will find the courage to share this cherished memory with me."

"I will."

Other times They were just laying on a tree trunk, immersed on their odyssey of their thoughts, unconsciously Ryoma holding Tezuka's hand. The leaves danced before blind eyes, the wind roared to deaf ears. Now and then, the only sound that reverberated through their consciousness was the one of their breaths. Soon they were peacefully sleeping in each other's embrace.

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It happens a month later. The wanderer has for the first time missed their usual meeting. The emperor stays at the garden's gate looking at the mountains from the southeast. He is not hoping to see a dark robe, or a mass of brown hair, or even thick glasses glistering in the sun. He is watching anyway, because watching gives him the illusion he is doing something useful.

The mist was just enveloping his restless mind. How long has it been since he last walked on earth? He regarded the depths under the road. It was entirely odd to just separate yourself from the security of the soil, to live high above between the wind's whiffs.

He should not be here. He gave his word to meet with Ryoma every month. Why did his footsteps guide him into that town? It is said its name is Shindler, or so he heard. He never set foot in it before, nor has he heard of it until then.

All around him steps, voices, noises were mingling as though pumped by their own life. The flowing of people was incessant, engrossing him in a mass that was ascending higher onto unknown paths.

"Where are we going?" he tried to ask the people.

"At the pinnacle of the island. Are you not from this town?" an elderly woman answered calmly pinning him with her observant eyes.

"No. I am not from Shindler. It is my first time here."

"Do not worry. You are soon going to understand." She added wisely.

The spiral of ways was culminating with the peak of the mountain. Where it should have been the sky, it was a harbor. Currently no ship was anchored. However, the citizens were expecting something to happen.

"The legend says that when the one who travels past cities will arrive at this point, the one who he seeks will appear brought by a ship." the woman's dim voice subtly added.

"But will it ever go by? How will a ship float on thin air? This seems impossible to me." Tezuka retorted sternly.

"Your name is?" she simply asked.

"Tezuka."

"Tezuka, you are still inexperienced. You refuse to see what is beyound your comprehension. Let me tell you a story while we still have time."

_ Once upon a time there was an emperor who claimed he knew every rock and mountain on his country. Oh how wrong was he! _

_He failed to understand that nothing stays the same forever, everything alters , and thus his country ought to never dwell unchanged. As years passed he refused to leave his palace deliberating there is not a thing outside he has not seen before. His counselors were ill at ease, for their sovereign's health was steadily deteriorating. They tried all means of persuation , but to no avail. The emperor's batty and stubborn attitude was irreversible. _

_All warlocks, magicians and shamans were fetched. Each pretended to know what was to be done to redress the emperor's attitude. Many suggested his interest was not aroused enough. Others were certain it was just a whim, but the rest concluded it had to do with the need to share all the things with someone. _

_One late autumn, when all hopes seemed lost and the young lord ceased to open his eyes, a stranger no older than twenty came to the palace to become the eye of the king in the country. The blind man was reluctant on receiving him in, but gave up ultimately. _

_Was the wanderer able to return the smile on the ruler's face? The results were promising. The younger one agreed to spend their time together in the gardens. His blindness cured and the smile flicker on his face. _

_The oddity was that the foreigner did not speak the language of that country, nonetheless he understood the emperor the best. He lit a fire in the teenager's soul, a feeble one, a blooming flower ready to be awakened by the spring breeze. _

_After a year, the traveler left and never came back. Since then the legend says the emperor is looking for him in a boat through air and earth. Only when the desire of the traveler is strong enough to see the other, will he appear on this mountain. _

Tezuka listened carefully. The story was very similar to theirs. Could it be…? No it was virtually impossible. By his nature Tezuka was prone to rely on the sayings of the wise people. His entire life was built on such believes. He remained silent not knowing how to answer to that. It was just a legend, nothing more.

"Sometimes the truth lies right before your eyes. Is up to you whether you want to acknowledge it or not." the old lady warned, while leaving in the opposite direction.

Tezuka massaged his temple waiting for a migraine to settle. He asked himself again why his footsteps guided him to this town in the first place.

He wanted to see Ryoma again, that went without saying, however he was not that sure of how much was he willing to believe in the legend. Standing there in the moon's light with thousands of people he could not separate his own will from theirs.

All gazes were drawn upwards. The sky finally opened its gates and rain purred down on their faces. A shadow could be seen between mist and flashings. Swiftly a sound was heard from underneath their feet. The soil quavered. The platform cracked open…A harbor ascended from the depths of the earth…

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Dark drank up every inch of his yard, the sunset overshadowing his sleepless eyes, his longing smile, yet challenging demeanor. It was minutes after midnight and he could not let his mind rest, nor his soul settle. Tezuka was not coming back or he was trapped in a town. It was not like him to break a promise.

Everyday that passed he wanted to leave this stillness and do soothing. Although he never left the palace before, he would definitely set his foot out; he would leave his principles behind just for Tezuka.

A bright light headed at full tilt towards the palace, its intensity too powerful for the barrier. Shattered it is in million pieces without anyone noticed what had happened. It was as if a dagger pierced a heart, taking away not only life, but the memory of the pain. The garden disappeared, leaving behind only black soil. Anyone asked would say that there was no such garden in that place.

It was as if Ryoma never existed.


	2. Chapter 2

_Emerge_

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'_Something cannot emerge from nothing'. - Frank Hubert_

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Where was he taken to? He could not see his path. He could not feel either hunger or fear. His eyes were shut. He could not understand who blind folded him, or how long had he been flying. Because all his senses were telling him that he has left the earth long ago.

_Supposedly you could measure your time, what importance it has whether there has passed 5 hours or just 3 minutes. It is irrelevant. _

From the day he was crowned king he had never wished for anything other than the good of his people. And now, he could feel himself becoming selfish again, like he had never been in his youth. It was enough for just a smile to appear on stern features and a soft voice to whisper his name, and he knew he would break any rule. It was rather confusing. Not that he was that careful or wise. Tezuka proved to be more logical and prudent, a combination between intelligence and judgment, and sometimes in discrepancy with his own demeanor. Wasn't that what drives people to journey towards each other? His lack of patience and awareness of his highness made him sometimes insufferable and proud.

Just like that once, he had refused to receive his wanderer, because he indulged himself a sword fight with his lieutenant. He remembers even now the punishment inflicted by the older man. The next time Tezuka came to their usual meeting; he didn't bring anything with him and didn't talk to him like he usually would have. He had just stared at him disapprovingly, as if their roles had been reversed. Tezuka was not afraid to show him that he did not care if Ryoma was the king, that he treated him as an equal. He should have thrown Tezuka in the darkest dungeons, had he not enjoyed the challenge.

Far were the days when he would look down on his traveler. Further the ones when they shared a mere curiosity for each other. He would not admit, but for some months now his thoughts had been filled with dark-brown eyes and hardly visible smiles.

He was just powerless against a future he didn't know. Everything was less certain. What was Tezuka for him? Were they destined to always seek for each other? To long desperately for just one more encounter? He had never dreamt of wanting to see someone alive and safe, this much. Even when he closed his eyes he could evoke entire conversations he had had with Tezuka, silent gatherings without any of them uttering a single sound, skin so soft on his embrace. He would never get tired of Tezuka's presence or smell, even there gagged and lashed; it was a memory he would not surrender that easily to those who took him prisoner.

_When you find yourself free from any measurement of time, what is that you wish for?_

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Glasses had fallen at an odd angle. Eyes open unfocussed. _What had happened?_ _When? Why? How?_

Tezuka was lying on the ground, thinking…His body ached all over, he could hardly feel his left hand. None the less if it was still in his power to stand up, he will. He pushed back every pain, every uncertainty and all misgivings, thus everything that was human inside him and knelt on the ground, levering himself on two feet.

Only then did he open his eyes, set his glasses in place and looked. What he saw made him twin his mouth into a thin line. All the remaining citizens were still lying numb on the ground, between cracks and rifts of the earth, as lifeless as though right there they were compelled to sleep.

He should make sure they were still alive. However, in that moment another memory sliced through his mind like a flash. What had happened? He asked himself over again. His short-term memory must have been erased due to the impact.

He wouldn't turn around. Not because he was afraid or for some misguided superstition, after all he knew very well what lay there. He just couldn't make himself abandon these people. Though they were complete strangers to him, he could not forget Ryoma's statement '_Che, so they are unhappy'_. He had been unable to prove him wrong, for what human being does nor encounter on his journey hardness or misfortune? He should have left him at least one hope, yet, he uttered the truth alone, since Ryoma had put his trust in him.

He realized that there were few who were seriously hurt. Many had dislocated their shoulder, others suffered from shock, or burns. Numerous had cut themselves with stones. He treated them with stoicism, gentle and quietly. Being always on the move had taught him many things, from tending wounds to cooking. It was due to their king that he knew the language.

His mouth twitched a little upwards. He caught himself smiling, which was rather unusual. It took more than a thought to crumble his expressionless face. He believed he knew himself quite well, so why was he becoming lighter and anxious whenever his thoughts would swirl to Ryoma?

It was just the tightness in his chest, like it could catch his breath in his throat. When he was in Ryoma's presence he seemed to be a thief trapped in the treasure's chamber, never able to break free again. Then when he was away from him it was as if he was flying free above the clouds, utterly alone and cold. He wanted to be selfish, to erase all the lines between them. He needed to be Ryoma's equal, friend, if nothing more.

Ryoma had taught him more than a language He shared with him his silence, which was entirely a language of the soul. He had taught him how to smile, unwittingly giving him a purpose in life.

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The light was heading north, as if some invisible hand was alluring it without purpose, just to abandon it eventually. All the same, it travelled through storms or clear sky, swaying like a snake in its pursue to catch a pray. It had been created before all, and now was subdued by a race inferior to it. Kings. Knights. Elves. Warriors. All had tamed it; all had travelled due to its power, crossing universes.

The last four survivors of the Racket's Race were discussing the fate of their prisoner, Echizen Ryoma. If the legend was to be fulfilled then they should head to Shindler to where Tezuka was still waiting. Still, one of them was totally opposing the idea. He possessed royalty manners, thus the others had to completely agree.

"Ore-sama does not think that obeying the scripts will bring the salvation of our planet!"

"Why is that, Atobe? It's their destiny to be reunited after all."Yukimura smiled serenely, while trying to convince their leader.

"I already told you, Yukimura, they shouldn't be together, it's against our laws!" Atobe proved his point.

"Sanada, help me! He won't listen to me!" Yukimura pleaded mockingly.

Sanada, who was only listening with a poker face in place, turned to him and shook his head disapprovingly.

"At least you Fuji, you should understand this better than any of us." Yukimura grinned and winked at Fuji.

"Saa, if we don't allow them to be together, they will find another time. In another life they probably are already." Fuji smiled with his eyes closed.

Sanada thought that where Yukimura failed, Fuji would succeed. He could be very scary sometimes.

"Are you saying Ore-sama doesn't have a say in this matter?" Atobe said with wide eyes. It was a first for him to just stay and wait for things to happen without his consent.

"Remember Atobe, even you have your limits." Sanada deadpanned.

"And even though we will not allow this now, there will be a future when we may not have a choice." Yukimura smiled sadly looking at Sanada from the corners of his eyes.

"All right! All right! Ore-sama will permit them to reunite!" Atobe reluctantly said.

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Ryoma was already asleep when this argument took place, so he was deprived of the good news. So when he was released he had to rub twice his eyes to convince himself he wasn't still dreaming. The first thing he saw was a big fancy throne with a man all dressed in white clothes, whom resembled a monkey due to its mole.

"I see you have finally woken up, brat!" Atobe addressed to the peasant that was on his knees at his feet.

"Eeeh, who are you calling a brat, Monkey King!" Ryoma was obviously being his bratty self again.

"Show some respect! He is our last ruler the Great Atobe." said Sanada, while lifting Ryoma from the ground with one hand.

Ryoma scowled. Wasn't used to being ordered around and since he was a king himself, he should receive the same respect.

"Listen, Monkey King you're mada mada dane!" Ryoma smirked defiantly.

"Calm down Echizen-kun, we have no time to discuss your authority. Though, isn't he cute,, Sanada" Yukimura said smiling at Sanada.

"Maa, I'd say he has already befriended Atobe. Anyway, don't you want to see Tezuka one more time?" Fuji opened his eyes and looked a little too serious.

When Ryoma heard Tezuka's name, he turned his head from the annoying king, to another teen with brown hair and sapphire eyes.

"What do you know about Tezuka?" Ryoma asked with authority.

"I'll tell you only if you were to listen to our king and the story he has to tell to you afterwards" Fuji said closing his eyes again.

"Fair enough." Ryoma said hardly containing his happiness.

"Tezuka is in Shindler, waiting for you to come. We will let you to the harbor." Yukimura took Fuji's words out of his mouth.

"But why should I trust you? Ryoma asked.

"Because brat, we also need you two for our survival" Atobe revealed.

Ryoma was speechless at that. He was really curious to know what that was all about. But first thing, first. He really wanted to see Tezuka right now.

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The wounded people were all thankful that Tezuka had passed though their city at that time, otherwise, they would have been lost, they thought. It never occurred to them that it was because Tezuka had been there that everything had happened.

It wan't chance that led Tezuka to that city. He was bound to reunite with Ryoma.

_What does it mean to really see? If with two eyes you fail to notice the obvious, then why look?_

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The light landed on the harbor. Ryoma scurried out of it with the four on his tail. He could not understand why his heart pounded so loud, or how could he be so happy to see his traveler. Yet, it was something he had felt some other times too. When Tezuka had looked straight at him with his brown eyes. Or was it when he first realized that Tezuka meant much more to him?

Tezuka was turned around, his brown hair disheveled, in total disarray, blowing in the wind. His clothes were dirty and he was bleeding from his left arm. _And was still waiting…For him…All this time…._

_How can you not cry when you see your loved one?_

It was the most logical thing to do; he let his tears well down his face, while smiling like never before. They were tears of joy. And he knew Tezuka would understand. He stepped forward and embraced the tall man.

Tezuka froze. He had been too lost in thoughts to notice the commotion from the harbor. He turned slightly to see who was behind him. When he saw Ryoma, he couldn't believe his eyes. Was it possible, had Ryoma finally left the palace after so much time? How had he arrived there? There were so many questions running in his mind for miles.

Ryoma stared at him, but eventually let go. _Wasn't he happy to see me? Apparently not. He sighed, he wanted desperately to see Tezuka, but he was the only one._

Tezuka observed Ryoma looking away from him now. _Had he done something wrong? _

Only then he observed the four companions of Ryoma. They approached them and introduced themselves. Fuji who witnessed their situation, took Tezuka aside and told him how happy Ryoma had been to finally meet him again, and that he did not see how much he cared about him? Yukimura giggled, knowing what Fuji was about.

Tezuka looked at him in disbelief. _How can Ryoma care about him?_


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